Chandrasekhara Ashtakam Stotram: Eight Verses to Shiva, Conqueror of Death
Chandrasekhara Ashtakam Stotram - Sanskrit Text
चन्द्रशेखर चन्द्रशेखर चन्द्रशेखर पाहि माम् ।
चन्द्रशेखर चन्द्रशेखर चन्द्रशेखर रक्ष माम् ॥
रत्नसानुशरासनं रजताद्रिशृङ्गनिकेतनं
सिञ्जिनीकृतपन्नगेश्वरमच्युतानलसायकम् ।
क्षिप्रदग्धपुरत्रयं त्रिदिवालयैरभिवन्दितं
चन्द्रशेखरमाश्रये मम किं करिष्यति वै यमः ॥१॥
पञ्चपादपपुष्पगन्धिपदाम्बुजद्वयशोभितं
भाललोचनजातपावकदग्धमन्मथविग्रहम् ।
भस्मदिग्धकलेवरं भवनाशनं भवमव्ययं
चन्द्रशेखरमाश्रये मम किं करिष्यति वै यमः ॥२॥
मत्तवारणमुख्यचर्मकृतोत्तरीयमनोहरं
पङ्कजासनपद्मलोचनपूजिताङ्घ्रिसरोरुहम् ।
देवसिन्धुतरङ्गशीकरसिक्तशीतजटाधरं
चन्द्रशेखरमाश्रये मम किं करिष्यति वै यमः ॥३॥
कुण्डलीकृतकुण्डलेश्वरकुण्डलं वृषवाहनं
नारदादिमुनीश्वरस्तुतवैभवं भुवनेश्वरम् ।
अन्धकान्तकमाश्रितामरपादपं शमनान्तकं
चन्द्रशेखरमाश्रये मम किं करिष्यति वै यमः ॥४॥
यक्षराजसखं भगाक्षहरं भुजङ्गविभूषणं
शैलराजसुतापरिष्कृतचारुवामकलेवरम् ।
क्ष्वेडनीलगलं परश्वधधारिणं मृगधारिणं
चन्द्रशेखरमाश्रये मम किं करिष्यति वै यमः ॥५॥
भेषजं भवरोगिणामखिलापदामपहारिणं
दक्षयज्ञविनाशनं त्रिगुणात्मकं त्रिविलोचनम् ।
भुक्तिमुक्तिफलप्रदं सकलाघसङ्घनिबर्हणं
चन्द्रशेखरमाश्रये मम किं करिष्यति वै यमः ॥६॥
भक्तवत्सलमर्चितं निधिमक्षयं हरिदम्बरं
सर्वभूतपतिं परात्परमप्रमेयमनुत्तमम् ।
सोमवारिदभूहुताशनसोमपानिलखाकृतिं
चन्द्रशेखरमाश्रये मम किं करिष्यति वै यमः ॥७॥
विश्वसृष्टिविधायिनं पुनरेव पालनतत्परं
संहरन्तमपि प्रपञ्चमशेषलोकनिवासिनम् ।
क्रीडयन्तमहर्निशं गणनाथयूथसमन्वितं
चन्द्रशेखरमाश्रये मम किं करिष्यति वै यमः ॥८॥
फलश्रुतिः -
मृत्युभीतमृकण्डसूनुकृतस्तवं शिवसन्निधौ
यत्र कुत्र च यः पठेन्न हि तस्य मृत्युभयं भवेत् ।
दीर्घमायुररोगितामखिलार्थसम्पदमादरात्
चन्द्रशेखर एव तस्य ददाति मुक्तिमयत्नतः ॥
॥ इति श्रीशिवरहस्यान्तर्गते शिवाख्ये मार्कण्डेयकृतं श्रीचन्द्रशेखराष्टकं सम्पूर्णम् ॥
Transliteration (Roman/IAST)
candraśekhara candraśekhara candraśekhara pāhi mām |
candraśekhara candraśekhara candraśekhara rakṣa mām ||
ratnasānuśarāsanaṃ rajatādriśṛṅganiketanaṃ
siñjinīkṛtapannageśvaram acyutānalasāyakam |
kṣipradagdhapuratrayaṃ tridivālayair abhivanditaṃ
candraśekharam āśraye mama kiṃ kariṣyati vai yamaḥ ||1||
(... the eight verses continue, each closing with the fearless refrain "candraśekharam āśraye mama kiṃ kariṣyati vai yamaḥ"; I take refuge in Chandrasekhara; what then can Yama do to me? - ending with the phalashruti promising long life, health and liberation.)
Meaning
Each verse builds a radiant portrait of Lord Shiva as Chandrasekhara, "He who wears the moon on his crest," and ends with a triumphant declaration of fearlessness: "I take refuge in Chandrasekhara - what then can Yama, the god of death, do to me?" Shiva is praised as the archer who burned the three cities, his body smeared with ash, the destroyer of Kama, rider of the bull Nandi, the blue-throated lord adorned with serpents, the physician for the disease of worldly existence, granter of both enjoyment and liberation, and the creator, sustainer and dissolver of the universe who plays eternally with his ganas. The closing phalashruti declares that whoever recites this hymn - composed by Markandeya, the son of Mrikandu, who was himself terrified of death - will be free of the fear of death, and Chandrasekhara will grant him long life, health, all prosperity and effortless liberation.
About this Stotra
The Chandrasekhara Ashtakam belongs to the Shiva Rahasya and is attributed to the sage Markandeya. According to legend, Markandeya was destined to die at sixteen; when Yama came to claim him, the boy embraced the Shiva lingam and sang this very hymn, and Shiva burst forth to vanquish death and grant his devotee immortality. The stotra thus carries the living power of a prayer that conquered death itself, and is closely associated with the Mrityunjaya ("victory over death") tradition.
Significance & Spiritual Benefits
This hymn is recited for fearlessness, especially the fear of death, illness and calamity. Its refrain instils unshakeable refuge in Shiva. Devotees chant it for long life, recovery from illness, removal of obstacles, and ultimately for liberation (mukti). Because Shiva is here called the "physician for the disease of existence" (bhava-roginam bheshajam), it is a favoured prayer in times of sickness and danger, and for cultivating courage and equanimity in the face of life's uncertainties.
Astrological Relevance
As a Mrityunjaya-class hymn, the Chandrasekhara Ashtakam is a powerful remedy for afflictions touching longevity and life-force - a weak lagna or lagna lord, a troubled 8th house (the house of longevity and sudden events), and difficult periods of Saturn (Shani), the karaka of life-span. The moon on Shiva's head connects the stotra to the Moon (Chandra), the karaka of the mind and emotional well-being, making it valuable when the Moon is afflicted or during a Chandra dasha that brings anxiety. Reciting it is especially recommended during Sade Sati, serious illness, or any period when health and survival are of concern.
How to Chant (Vidhi)
Bathe and sit before a Shiva lingam or image of Shiva. Light a lamp, offer bilva leaves, white flowers and water or milk, and apply vibhuti. Begin with the opening invocation ("Chandrasekhara... pahi mam... raksha mam"), then recite all eight verses, dwelling on the fearless refrain, and conclude with the phalashruti. It is powerfully recited at a Shiva temple or before a home shrine, especially for one who is ill or fearful.
Best Day & Time
Monday (Somvar) and the pradosha hours (dusk) are ideal. Maha Shivaratri, pradosha vrata days, and the Mondays of Shravan are especially auspicious. In times of illness or danger, it may be recited daily until peace and recovery are attained.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who composed the Chandrasekhara Ashtakam?
It is attributed to the sage Markandeya, who is said to have sung it before the Shiva lingam to overcome his destined death, after which Shiva granted him immortality.
What does the refrain mean?
The repeated line "Chandrasekharam ashraye mama kim karishyati vai yamah" means "I take refuge in Chandrasekhara (Shiva); what then can Yama, the lord of death, do to me?" - a declaration of fearlessness in Shiva's protection.
When is it especially recited?
It is recited for protection from untimely death, during illness, in times of fear or danger, and as a regular Shiva prayer for long life, health and liberation.
When the sage sang fearlessness: the devotional courage of the Chandrasekhara Ashtakam
The Chandrasekhara Ashtakam carries one of the most audacious refrains in all of Sanskrit devotional poetry: having described the immensity and grace of Shiva as Chandrasekhara - the moon-crowned one - each verse concludes with the youthful sage Markandeya's declaration that in the shelter of such a Lord, death itself holds no power. The hymn draws its emotional force from the legend of Markandeya, whose story is itself an embodiment of devoted fearlessness, and channels that legend into eight precisely crafted verses. The epithet Chandrasekhara is itself significant: the moon in Shiva's matted locks represents the cooling of desire, the mastery of time, and the light of compassion shining even in the deepest darkness.
The Ashtakam is recited for the qualities of fearlessness, longevity and liberation - traditionally by those navigating serious illness in the family, those facing great uncertainty, or sincere seekers who wish to loosen the grip of the fear of death itself. Pradosh Vrat evenings and Mahashivaratri are considered especially auspicious times for its recitation. In the Jyotish tradition, Shiva's grace is invoked as a remedy for severe Shani and Ketu afflictions, and the Chandrasekhara form - with the moon as his ornament - connects this stotra specifically to the pacification of troubled Chandra placements. Its eight verses are compact enough to be memorised and carried as a constant inner refuge.